DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.55201#0174
SEASON OF 1927-1928
l6l
from the spaces between the columns of some one of the numerous
porches, perhaps in the peristyle court or the hypostyles in front of
the Hat-Hor shrine. We know of at least five seated statues: one of
red granite which is nearly twice life-size; a smaller, white, marble-
like statue parts of which were taken to Berlin by Lepsius; a red
granite statue just about life-size, of which the head was found in
1927-28; and two smaller ones of black granite. One of these probably
stood before the stela in the offering hall of Hat-shepsut. Finally a
sandstone statue of Hat-shepsut suckled by her nurse may be placed
appropriately in the Hat-Hor shrine.4
So much for the free-standing statues of the temple. There is in
addition another class of statue, of limestone, which was originally
an integral part of the masonry of the building itself.
Deir el Bahri temple was not only a shrine of the god Amun; it was
in addition intended as the temple where the dead Hat-shepsut would
receive her provisions for eternity. Dead, she was one with the god
Osiris and hence it was appropriate that she should appear in Osirian
guise as a mummy. Eight of the smallest of these statues, a little over
three meters high, must have come from the tall niches in the wall at
the west side of the upper court on each side of the sanctuary door.
Some of them have the White Crown of Upper Egypt, and therefore
must have come from the south niches, and others have the Red
Crown of Lower Egypt, and must have come from the north. Osiride
statues about five meters tall stood attached to square pillars across
the topmost portico—the caryatids holding up the porches and gazing
at Thebes across the river. Four heads which are a little larger be-
longed to four statues of which we have found fragments. We have
evidence to prove that these four statues came from this same top-
most porch, one on each end of the colonnades and one on each side
of the central doorway.
Finally we have found fragments of two gigantic limestone Osiride
statues which stood about 7.25 meters high. During the previous
season we had found two blocks that made up the calves, one block
from the thighs and one from the elbows of one, buried outside the
northeast corner of the court. In the quarry we discovered the waist
and shoulders, and not far off we had found fragments of the faces of
them. One wore the crown of the North and the other that of the
South, and therefore we knew that they were pendents.
Just beyond the north end of the north lower porch there is a large
4 See below, page 211.
l6l
from the spaces between the columns of some one of the numerous
porches, perhaps in the peristyle court or the hypostyles in front of
the Hat-Hor shrine. We know of at least five seated statues: one of
red granite which is nearly twice life-size; a smaller, white, marble-
like statue parts of which were taken to Berlin by Lepsius; a red
granite statue just about life-size, of which the head was found in
1927-28; and two smaller ones of black granite. One of these probably
stood before the stela in the offering hall of Hat-shepsut. Finally a
sandstone statue of Hat-shepsut suckled by her nurse may be placed
appropriately in the Hat-Hor shrine.4
So much for the free-standing statues of the temple. There is in
addition another class of statue, of limestone, which was originally
an integral part of the masonry of the building itself.
Deir el Bahri temple was not only a shrine of the god Amun; it was
in addition intended as the temple where the dead Hat-shepsut would
receive her provisions for eternity. Dead, she was one with the god
Osiris and hence it was appropriate that she should appear in Osirian
guise as a mummy. Eight of the smallest of these statues, a little over
three meters high, must have come from the tall niches in the wall at
the west side of the upper court on each side of the sanctuary door.
Some of them have the White Crown of Upper Egypt, and therefore
must have come from the south niches, and others have the Red
Crown of Lower Egypt, and must have come from the north. Osiride
statues about five meters tall stood attached to square pillars across
the topmost portico—the caryatids holding up the porches and gazing
at Thebes across the river. Four heads which are a little larger be-
longed to four statues of which we have found fragments. We have
evidence to prove that these four statues came from this same top-
most porch, one on each end of the colonnades and one on each side
of the central doorway.
Finally we have found fragments of two gigantic limestone Osiride
statues which stood about 7.25 meters high. During the previous
season we had found two blocks that made up the calves, one block
from the thighs and one from the elbows of one, buried outside the
northeast corner of the court. In the quarry we discovered the waist
and shoulders, and not far off we had found fragments of the faces of
them. One wore the crown of the North and the other that of the
South, and therefore we knew that they were pendents.
Just beyond the north end of the north lower porch there is a large
4 See below, page 211.